Apostles And Shepherds

by Derek Prince

Study Note Outline

AS1

Four Tape Series

4104 Presbyteries And Apostolic Teams Part 1
4105 Presbyteries And Apostolic Teams Part 2
4106 The Chief Shepherd And His Under-Shepherds Part 1
4107 The Chief Shepherd And His Under-Shepherds Part 2

Presbyteries And Apostolic Teams

Part 1
4104

I. Human Leadership In The Church

A. Two main forms:
1. Local presbyteries
2. Mobile apostolic teams
B. Characteristic features:
1. Each is normally plural
2. Each is sovereign in its own sphere, but not independent
3. They are interdependent: apostles appoint elders (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5); but
elders send out apostles (Acts 13:13; 16:13; 1 Tim. 4:14)
4. Each is dependent on Gods grace
5. Each can only function effectively when directed by the Holy Spirit (Acts
13:14, 16:610; Rom. 8:14)
6. Prophets have a role both in presbyteries (Acts 13:1) and in apostolic teams
(Eph. 2:20)
C. Important differences:
1. Presbyteries function within a given locality; apostolic teams are available to
the whole body and have the world as their parish.
2. The main task of presbyteries is order and conservation through government
(1 Tim. 5:17); apostolic teams give input to presbyteries, but their main thrust
is to extend the borders of Gods kingdom (Matt. 28:1820; Mark 16:1520;
Acts 1:2; Rom. 15:20; 1 Cor. 3:10).
3. The three most authoritative ministries are apostles, prophets, teachers (1 Cor.
12:28). All three handle Gods Word. However, apostles should not normally
override the sovereignty of local presbyteries.
D. Balance between presbyteries and apostolic teams
1. The New Testament seems to give more attention to the work of apostolic
teams than to that of presbyteries. Numerically, however, there were probably
more disciples involved in conservation than in outreach. Jesus Himself led
the first apostolic team (Heb. 3:1). At times, it could have numbered at least
30including women (Luke 8:13). Thus, His team also demonstrated the
 church in a microcosm. Most of the discipling processes actually described in
the New Testament took place in the context of apostolic teams (e.g. those of
Jesus and Paul). The same kind of teaching, detached from this context, will
not necessarily produce the same results. The church was first manifested in a
mobile form onlylater in a residential form.
2. In the contemporary church, the usual emphasis is about 95% on conservation
and 5% on outreach. Even if every planned activity were to be totally
successful, the overall result would be certain failure. Perhaps we should
consider a 5050 emphasis on outreach and conservation, allowing for a
higher proportion of Christians to be involved in conservation. However, all
disciples should accept personal responsibility for the success of the Churchs
outreach. Apostolic teams and presbyteries are the two legs on which the
Body of Christ moves. If one leg is shorter than the other, the body cannot
function successfully. There are also many other parts of the body, but none
can take the place of the legs.

Presbyteries And Apostolic Teams

Part 2
4105

II. Safeguards Against Abuse Of Authority

A. Man was created to rule (Gen. 1:2628), but his carnal nature often causes him to
seek to rule for wrong motives and by illegitimate meansresulting in some form
of manipulation or domination. The New Testament offers certain safeguards:
1. Plurality in both presbyteries and apostolic teams. This does not set aside the
position of a leader among leaders, but this position depends primarily on
respect and recognition, and should not normally be legislated or
institutionalized. In a presbytery, the responsibility for decisions and policy
should be corporate. It is dangerous to undermine this principle. In an
apostolic team, the recognized leader may have a greater measure of personal
authority.
2. Interdependence between the two groups. Neither group has liberty to ride
roughshod over the sovereignty of the other. Each needs the other.
B. Historically, the church has tended to overemphasize conservation at the expense
of outreach. This has tended to give preeminence to the ministry of shepherds
(pastors/bishops). Also, the pastors/bishops control the communion/Eucharist,
often considered the sacrifice essential for salvation.
C. Much the same happened to Israel in the Old Testament. The priests abrogated
excessive authority to themselves, and God had to raise up prophets to rebuke and
challenge the priests (see Jer. 2:8, 34:1820; Hos. 5:1, 6:9; Mal. 1:610, 2:13).
III. Invisible Government
A. Jesus in the heavenlies is head over the church (Eph. 1:2022). The churchs
headquarters is where its head is. From here Jesus governs His church through the
Holy Spirit. Exemplified by Pauls apostleship (1 Tim. 1:1; Acts 13:2). Jesus is
Lord over the church, the Holy Spirit is Lord in the church (2 Cor. 3:17). No
 system can take the place of the Holy Spirit. Most Christian groups need to
give much higher priority to seeking the counsel and direction of the Holy Spirit.
B. On the earthly level, there is no human authority over presbyteries and apostolic
teams. Jesus governs these direct from heaven through the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1
4, 16:610). Historically, man has set other individuals or groups over
presbyteries and apostolic teams, and thus frustrated the government of Jesus. The
usual result is some form of bureaucracy, but this does not meet the real needs.
C. Again, there is a precedent from the Old Testament. Israel found it difficult to live
under Gods invisible government and asked for a human king (see 1 Sam. 8:4
22). In such a case, visible human government tends to come between the Lord
and His people, and to drain the resources of the people.
D. There is both room and need for other kinds of groups: Committees, councils, etc.
But these must never be allowed to usurp the authority of presbyteries and
apostolic teams.
E. Examples of other groups:
1. Churches in a locality appoint a committee to fight pornography
2. A radio or TV station supported by a group of churches in an area
3. Churches in a locality send relief to a disaster area
IV. Relationships Between Apostles And Presbyteries
A. Apostles were at times directed to specific sections of humanity: e.g. James, Peter
and John to the Jews; Paul to the Gentiles (Gal. 2:69). But they did not claim
exclusive authority over specific churches.
B. Consider the relationship of Paul to the Galatians and Corinthians. He was a
father to both groups (Gal. 4:19; 1 Cor. 4:1415). But he did not reprove them for
accepting other preachers without his permission. He merely told them they ought
to know better than to believe those who were false (Gal. 4:1231; 1 Cor. 3:1
15). He rejected any claim to exclusive rights over the Corinthians (1 Cor. 1:11
13). He appealed to their maturity rather than to his authority.
C. Both Paul and Peter wrote independently to the Galatians (2 Pet. 3:15).
V. Nature Of Apostolic Ministry
A. An apostle is literally one sent forthto extend the boundaries of Gods
kingdom. A static apostle is a self-contradiction.
B. When an apostle does become resident in a locality, he functions as a co-elder
(1 Pet. 5:1)
C. An apostle normally combines in himself one or more of the other four main
ministries. He is more than a successful pastor or evangelist. His ministry must
include the manifestly supernatural (2 Cor. 12:12).
VI. Two Main Purposes Of The Supernatural:
A. To produce convinced obedience (Rom. 1:5, 15:1819)
B. To produce maximum results in minimum time (Acts 14:2123)
VII. Concluding Emphasis
A. Apostolic teams and presbyteries are the two legs of Christs body
B. Need for a scriptural balance between them
C. Jointly, they are under the direct, invisible government of Christ in the
heavenliesmade effective by the Holy Spirit on earth
 D. Until apostolic teams become functional, the church should consider itself in a
process of ongoing development.

The Chief Shepherd And His Under-Shepherds

Part 1
4106

I. Introduction:
A. Distinguish between absolutes and variables:
1. Absolutes: Things in which Scripture says absolutely we must or must not do
2. Variables: Things about which Scripture does not give specific commands,
but which are left to our decision. However, if variables would violate
absolutes, they are not permissible.
B. Most absolutes are in the realm of heart and conduct: faith, love, holiness,
humility, meekness, purity, prayerfulness, respect for marriage and family, etc. If
we bypass these absolutes and focus on variables, we miss the purposes of God.
C. If we make absolutes out of variables, we infringe on Gods sovereignty and we
impose unscriptural limitations on Gods servants.
D. Historically, the Church has tended to divide over the variables, and ignore the
absolutes.
E. Basis for decisions about variables:
1. The leading of the Holy Spirit
2. To be judged by their fruits
II. Shepherd/Shepherding
A. In Old Testament about 160 times; in New Testament about 30 times
B. In addition to natural use, applied to God, to Jesus and to human leaders
C. Basic meanings: to rule; to lead; to feed
D. Always, sheep without a shepherd are scattered (1 Kings 22:17; Ezek. 34:56;
Matt. 9:36; 26:31)
III. Shepherds In The New Testament
A. On two levels
1. Divine and human
2. Begin with the divinethen work down to the human
B. The divine shepherd
1. In the New Testament, except in similes or parables, the word shepherd is
used in the singular only of Jesus
2. Basic fact: Every committed Christian has a divine shepherd (John 10:11, 27
28; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4)
a. Ps. 23:14As shepherd, the Lord offers total securityin proportion to
our commitment (compare 2 Tim. 1:12). His ministry is unique and cannot
be duplicated by any human shepherd, e.g.
b. Ps. 23:3He restores my soul
c. John 10:27I know them (compare Ps. 139:16)
d. John 10:28I give them eternal life
C. Contrast duties of human shepherds:
 1. Take care of the flock. (Ezek. 34:34) This includes:
a. Strengthen the weak
b. Heal the sick
c. Bind up the injured
d. Bring back the strays
e. Search for the lost
2. In the life of any believer, it is the sole prerogative of Jesus either to exercise
His ministry as shepherd directly, or to delegate some of this responsibility to
human under-shepherds. It is not apparent that all the main characters in the
New Testament had specific human shepherds, e.g.:
a. Peter going to the home of Cornelius, then baptizing him and his
household (Acts 10). This was totally contrary to all accepted tradition
and practice. Peter could have delayed his trip to Caesarea and visited
Jerusalem first. But he did not! Subsequently, none of his fellow apostles
told him he should have done this (Acts 11:118).
b. Paul, after his conversion, did not go to the first apostles in Jerusalem, but
to Arabia, where he received direct revelation from Christ (Gal. 1:1119).
c. Consider also the ministry of Philip (Acts 8)
3. If we insist that all believers must have personal human shepherds, we make
an absolute out of a variable.
4. If a human shepherd seeks to fill the place of the Lord in a believers life, it
will lead to double frustrationfor shepherd and for sheep.
5. Personal testimony
I spent my first five years as a Christian in the British Army on active service.
It was impossible for me to have a human shepherd. During this period I made
the following major personal decisions:
a. I gave away my money
b. I gave up my university career
c. I renounced my right to return to my own country
d. I set the claims of Gods call before those of my family
e. I entered into a very unconventional marriage
f. I adopted eight girls
g. I entered into full-time ministry
h. I believe every decision was right. In all this, Jesus was my sole shepherd.
This gives no grounds for arrogance (see Ps. 25:812)

The Chief Shepherd And His Under-Shepherds

Part 2
4107

III. Human Shepherds In The New Testament (contd.)

E. Human shepherds
1. The New Testament uses three different words:
a. Shepherd/pastor
b. Overseer/bishop
c. Elder (see Acts 20:1728; Tit. 1:67; 1 Pet. 2:25, 5:13)
 2. Consistently, the New Testament refers to these human shepherds in the
plural: e.g. Acts 11:30, 14:23, 15:2, 4, 6, 22, 23, 16:4; 20:17, 28, 21:18; Eph.
4:11; Phil. 1:1; 1 Thess. 5:1213; 1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5; Heb. 13:7, 17, 24;
James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:13 (21 times)
3. Throughout Revelation, elders are always plural
4. Exceptions are minimal: 2 John 1; 3 John 1 ? The angels of the churches
in Revelation 2 and 3.
5. Nowhere is any human individual referred to as the pastor of any church. Paul
regularly addressed churches and their leaders corporately. He did not single
out any individual leader (Acts 20:17also opening of letters to Romans,
Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians)
6. It is important to maintain the corporate authority and responsibility of human
leadership in the Church. However, in the church in Jerusalem, James seems
to have held a position of special honor and authority (Acts 12:17, 15:1322,
21:18)
7. Conclusion: in the New Testament Church there was sufficient flexibility to
make room for individual gifts and personalities without legislation or
establishing an institution.
F. Some main responsibilities of human shepherds
1. To strengthen and mature relationships of individual believers with the Chief
Shepherdto teach them to hear His voice (John 10:27). He may speak
through a human shepherd or in other waysbut not everything a human
shepherd says is necessarily the Lords voice.
2. To build strong, harmonious relationships between the members of the flock
(1 Thess. 5:1213)
3. A human shepherd should never interpose himself:
a. Between the sheep and the Chief Shepherd
b. Between the sheep and the corporate eldership
G. Organization of human shepherds
1. No single, overall system appears to be enforced in the New Testament. In
each situation, the guidance of the Holy Spirit is needed (2 Cor. 3:17). It is a
mistake to impose a concept on a situation.
2. The New Testament does depict house churches (Rom. 16:35; 1 Cor. 16:19;
Col. 4:15; Philemon 2). This suggests a situation in which a shepherd is
responsible for a specific group under his care, but the New Testament
provides no examples of this system being applied to a whole city church.
3. In each situation, a system of shepherding must be judged by its fruit (Matt.
7:20). God takes account of national and individual personalities. He does not
fit all believers into one rigid system.
H. Trans-local relationships
1. I find no instance in the New Testament of a resident shepherd/pastor
receiving pastoral care from a person not residing in the same area. However,
trans-local oversight is found in the context of an apostolic team: e.g., the
relationship of Paul to Timothy or Titus.
2. All this does not preclude a relationship in which a spiritual father, or elder
brother offers ongoing counsel to a man with pastoral responsibilities. Such a
 relationship is a variable, not an absolute.
I. Discipling
1. A function of apostles in their teams and shepherds in their churches
involves special training that goes beyond general pastoral care.
2. The same two possibilities as with shepherding:
a. The Lord disciples directly
b. The Lord disciples through a human servant
3. Examples of both:
a. Moses discipled Joshua, but the Lord discipled Moses
b. Elijah discipled Elisha, but, apparently, the Lord discipled Elijah (1 Kings
17; 18:1, 36)
c. Apparently, the Lord discipled John the Baptist (Luke 1:80; John 1:33)
d. Jesus discipled the first apostles; Paul also was discipled directly by Jesus
(Gal. 1:1117)
4. When God initiates something new, He usually disciples direct. Contemporary
example: My own experience with deliverance.
J. Concluding emphasis
1. If we bypass divine absolutes and focus on variables, we miss the purposes of
God and probably add to the division in the Church.
2. If we make absolutes out of variables, we infringe on Gods sovereignty and
impose unscriptural limitations on Gods servants.
3. It is the sole prerogative of Jesus to shepherd/disciple a believer directly or to
delegate some of this responsibility to human under-shepherds.
4. The New Testament consistently emphasizes the corporate authority and
responsibility of the plural eldership in a local church.

1984 Derek Prince MinistriesInternational